The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-11-19
DOMESTIC ECONOMY.
A Budget Of Useful Information Upon
Household and Agricultural
Topics.
Matters OF Interest Relating to Farm,
Orchard, Stable, Parlor, and
Kitchen.
THE FARM.
EaIne OF Ihafcted Eoofs.

| George Il. Hall, of Iowa City, in CON-
| munication to The Western Farm Journal
writes of matched roofs as follows: / have
one that has been in use for almost ten
| years. When | built it took red elm for
| posts and cottonwood, or rather quak-
| ing ash, poles for rafters, with small poles
| for cross pieces to fasten the grass 10. 1t
was 42x26 feet at that time. We bound
the slough grass in small bundles and then
| tied 1t on with the grass. ! he shed stands
| all right yet, and where the hens have not
| disturbed it, sheds rain good. The posts
| are all rotted off, but the shed stands up
| plumb as when built, but now we think We
| have much quicker way of putting on
| the roof. We do not bind the grass, but
commence the first course at the eve, with
the butts down and quite thick, the cross
pieces on rafters fifteen inches apart. If
the grass is long spread the grass about four
| inches the first course, then turn the tops
down and spread three inches thick, and
sew 1t on with wool Irvine, sewing each
course as put on; have one man on the
roof and one on the outside to put the
| needle up through; keep the Irvine drawn
tight, and to get along fast have one man
to bring up the grass and spread it. We
use an iron needle about Ell hit inches long.
This is much faster than in bundles and
think get it much more even. / have IA
corn-crib and wagon-shed put on this
way and | can pull myself up from the
ewes to the ridge without pulling out a
straw. | intend putting up hay shed
| and constable combined this spring and
cover 1t with slough grass. The hay-sh
will be 2ix26 feet, Is feet high, and cow
stables, on each side, 12x50 feet. l think
matched roof is much warmer than
shingles or boards and will asst for ten or
| fifteen years. Since | put up my cow
cfa L. tn,, n,,,lN
bors have put on thatched roofs.
| Changing Cropi and Ea>cc,s
A Missouri paper says: The reports
| from many parts of the country are not as
| favorable this week as we had hoped to
hear In regard 10 the wheat prospect. In
| many localities the chinchbugs are doing
much damage. and some farmers are COM
| peeled 10 pillow their wheat up and plant it
in corn. Every year this is the case to a
greater or less degree throughout the West.
The wheat crop this year in Jasper County
still promises to be three times greater
| than last year. But the question arises:
| How long Will it be before the chinch bu gs
take the entire wheat crops? Our answer
is that ii viii not take many years if the
farmers continue the suicidal policy that
they have been doing in Jasper County for
years past. In talking with many observ-
ing armerS ABOUT thlS matter, the evidence
is conclusive that the land where the bugs
| are doing the most mischief is ground that
| has been used for wheat year after year.
The soil is badly worn and the bugs have
increased until the ground is alive with
| them. Wheat is their food evidently.
Take this away from them and they will
leave or die out. Give your wheat lands a
rest by putting them in timothy or clover
| and you will soon become rid of these little
| pests. One progressive farmer, in talking
on the subject in this Office the other day,
went SO far as to assert that these bugs
| would prove blessing to the farmers of
Jasper County. They would force the
farmers to quit raising wheat, and turn
their attention to stock raising. That
stock-raising pays better than wheat grow
ing is beyond question. 1t is an easier
business, a surer one, and with far larger
profits. 1t costs a great deal of money
and hard work to raise wheat successfully,
while the work and cost of stock gIowing
10 nominal-nature furnishing and doing
the most of it. There is no better country
than this for stock, and if our farmers
| would make the most of their opportunities
they certainly will see that their attention
must be turned in this direction.